The insidious and evil Mr. Dark has stolen the Great Protoon, and defeated its protector, Betilla the Fairy. The Electoons have been scattered all over the world. Freaks and other hostile nasty creatures have popped up and are creating havoc. Will no one save the world?

This looks like a job for Rayman!

Rayman Advance, a Game Boy Advance release from Ubi Soft Entertainment and Digital Eclipse Software, is the kind of arcade game that shows off the true capabilities of the Game Boy Advance. The 32-bit color graphics are stunning, the action is enjoyable, and the game even features a save function, which will allow players to continue the quest over time, rather than try to solve it in one sitting.

Rayman is an expressive character that has no arms or legs, though he does have feet and hands. His weapon is a devastating punch that can be wound up for increased distance. He jumps, he crouches and crawls, he teeters on the edge of an abyss waving his hands frantically as he tries to retain his balance, and he will mock his opponents by spreading his cheeks while looking bug-eyed and wagging his tongue.

He is a thoroughly enjoyable character. As you progress through the game, Rayman will gain new powers. His power punch is one. He will also be able to slow his descent with a helicopter motion, run, grab and barely hang on to platforms. Though her powers are diminished, Betilla will help by giving Rayman special abilities. Other friends, met throughout the game, will also pass on special powers or pills.

The goal is to collect the Electoons, then rescue the Protoon and defeat Mr. Dark. There are six different worlds the Rayman must traverse through, each containing many levels. Games can be saved after finishing each stage. There are four slots for saving the game, and you can overwrite an existing game.

The controls for the game are very easy. The audio portion is solid. The options portion allows players to pick from a variety of languages, which will be displayed in the subtitles. The characters don’t actually speak. Their conversation all appears at the bottom of the screen. The audio portion of the game consists only of music (which can be turned off), and a few sound effects.

The real outstanding quality of the game stems from the graphics. This game is absolutely lush, with a pseudo three-dimensional feel. Though you can only play either vertically or horizontally, the background graphics have a distance-diminishing quality in terms of color, which is how it tries to convey the 3D feel. The characters are very well designed, and the action/animation is fresh and fast-paced.

This is truly a game that delivers in entertainment value. Rayman Advance is exquisite in its graphical rendering, humorous, and a challenge in the later portions of the game.

It is rated for Everyone, and will enthrall children of all ages.

Install: N/A

Gameplay: 9.
The bad guys regenerate, which at any sub-area of a stage continues to create challenges. The game boards for each portion of a level are not that big, but do have hidden surprises.

Graphics: 9.
Lush, rich – the adjectives could go on for a while. Rayman is a terrific-looking console arcade-style game.

Sound: 7.5.
This is well done, but not too different from what has been experienced before in this console arena.

Difficulty: 7.
You will be attacked from above, to the side, or below, which will keep you on your toes. The game is quite simplistic in the early going, but as Rayman collects new skills, the challenges seem to increase in difficulty.

Concept: 8.
The save feature is extremely good, and the characters are engaging. This features a plotline that won’t win originality awards, but does figure in nicely with the characters involved.

Multiplayer: N/A

Overall: 9.
This game features great graphics, amusing animation, and terrific game play. It is precisely the type of game that shows off the capabilities of the Game Boy Advance, while delivering hours of entertaining play.